Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've had my cham, Emerald, for about 2 weeks now. She has severe MBD from a previous owner, but I've been following advice given here, and she's been doing OK. That is, up until yesterday when I nearly killed her...

I've been misting her cage twice a day, but I've never seen her drink. I read somewhere that you can use an automatic dripper, or ice cubes placed over her cage to drip as it melts. Being cheap, I chose the melting ice cubes, and the outcome was horrible.

The freezing cold water dripped on her, and created a very cold puddle on her cagefloor. I guess she got cold, because she fell into the puddle and could not get up. I found her last night after she had been laying in the puddle for who knows how long. I've never seen an animal that was as black and stone cold rigid as she was. If she was breathing, I couldn't see it. I thought she surely must be dead, and I cried and cried because I knew what happened was my fault.

Then I saw her tail move, so faint that I thought maybe I imagined it. So I laid her on a heating pad, and stroked her spine because she seems to like it, and I talked to her. I told her I was sorry for what happened. Gradually her color improved and went from black to a very dark green, so that gave me hope. But I still couldn't see her breathe.

All of a sudden, she gave a huge yawn, and then she started breathing very hard thru her open mouth, trying to pull oxygen in. After awhile, her breathing returned to normal and today you'd never know the ordeal she endured. (Of course, she got a brand new dripper just as soon as the store opened.)

I realize that reptiles can get awfully chilled and still be ok,but I've never seen such a strong will to live in any creature. Emerald fought for her life, she really did, and I find something inspirational, maybe even spiritual, in her struggle. She's got so many bone deformities, and she is so weak that climbing is an ordeal for her. Every day is a challenge for her. And yet, she just never gives up.

Just thought I'd share this with others who like chams...

Wow,I'm sorry about her ordeal but very happy that she pulled through...you could still probably just spray the cage...she must have been drinking when you didn't see.Just a suggestion b/c the dripper will end up with a cold puddle on the floor as well.Spraying is the way to go b/c the water is available throughout the cage and she doesn't move well anyway to get to where the dripper is.Believe me.she will drink from the misting.I also wanted to say how nice to know that there are people that care about a poor,crippled little animal the way you do.Hope she continues to get better,she has a good Mom.

Well, thank you for the kind words, but it's not me! Some animals just tug at your heartstrings. I think everybody would feel compassion for her when they see her so exhausted that she can't hold onto her perch, tumbles to the floor and is so weak she can't right herself. I hope I never see another reptile with MBD again---it's so sad.

I think you and the other "regulars" on this forum deserve a big THANK YOU for patiently answering the same questions from us "newbies" over and over and over again. Personally, it really helps me when I can get my questions answered here. That way, when I read websites about chams, it makes more sense to me. Ultimately, your patience helps chams get the care they need, and maybe prevents some cases of MBD

They are pretty amazing at being able to tolerate cold and come back from it.

If you are not seeing your cham drinking than you should assume it is not drinkning enough. Chams that are ill may not have the urge or the physical ability to move to dripping water. When you spray him does he open his mouth and swallow?

You are lucky. I have been in simitar situations and had to watch a chamy die slowly. It is the most awful thing. I am sorry you had to go through that, but glad to hear the outcome. I too have run the gambit of ideas for keeping a cage misted, but not flooded, and not too cold.
My baby chamy recently has figured out that water puddles on leaves, so I have put a very shallow bown with (fake) leaves in the bottom or the cage and allow just a little water (room temp0 to puddle in that. he has been drinking from it, so maybe that will prove to be a good solution. Again, the bowl is very shallow, no chance of him getting into it and getting stuck.